2008 Woodie Awards
Interstate to link Mich. snow to S.C. sands
Matt McColl
Issue date: 1/22/08 Section: News
An interstate system that will connect Georgetown to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., has received key approvals from S.C. and federal officials and is nearing the beginning of a 10-year construction phase within South Carolina.
Federal Highway Administration Division Administrator Bob Lee and S.C. Secretary of Transportation H.B. "Buck" Limehouse Jr. have signed the Final Environmental Impact Study (FEIS) for Interstate 73.
The approval of the FEIS for I-73 by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and the Federal Highway Administrative Division was approved much quicker than past resolutions similar in nature.
The FEIS was approved after three years of research, while a normal FEIS only is accepted after five years.
"The signing of the FEIS is the culmination of more than three years of work and represents the most significant milestone achieved to date for I-73," Limehouse said.
Dianne Owens, editor of the (Marion) Star & (Mullins) Enterprise, has overseen the publishing of several articles regarding the Interstate project and continues to follow its progress.
"I believe the state and local officials have worked very hard to preserve as much natural habitat as possible, but there is always loss with change or progress," Owens said. "It may be years before the full impact of the Interstate is known."
Last fall, SCDOT bought "right-of-way" property to be used along the approved Interstate 73, which will run through South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and end in Michigan.
The S.C. section of the highway will take about three years to complete and will be funded primarily by tolls. Other means of payment also are being considered in other states.
The section of Interstate 73 that will be supported by South Carolina will run through Dillon, Marion, Horry and Georgetown counties.
"Any construction project brings with it money, by way of salaries to workers and by the purchasing of goods and other services," Owens said.
"With this total project expected to cost well over $1.7 billion, a great amount of money will be spent in the state to buy land, to move dirt, to bring food to workers… Construction is good for businesses," she said.
Though the nearest road of the project to FMU is in Marion County, Owens thinks the influx of people and money filtering into the Pee Dee region will positively affect Francis Marion students.
"If the new highway accomplishes all that the community, state and national leaders hope it will accomplish, there will be new jobs in the area for FMU graduates and a major thoroughfare north that doesn't exist now for folks wishing to travel," Owens said.
Federal Highway Administration Division Administrator Bob Lee and S.C. Secretary of Transportation H.B. "Buck" Limehouse Jr. have signed the Final Environmental Impact Study (FEIS) for Interstate 73.
The approval of the FEIS for I-73 by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and the Federal Highway Administrative Division was approved much quicker than past resolutions similar in nature.
The FEIS was approved after three years of research, while a normal FEIS only is accepted after five years.
"The signing of the FEIS is the culmination of more than three years of work and represents the most significant milestone achieved to date for I-73," Limehouse said.
Dianne Owens, editor of the (Marion) Star & (Mullins) Enterprise, has overseen the publishing of several articles regarding the Interstate project and continues to follow its progress.
"I believe the state and local officials have worked very hard to preserve as much natural habitat as possible, but there is always loss with change or progress," Owens said. "It may be years before the full impact of the Interstate is known."
Last fall, SCDOT bought "right-of-way" property to be used along the approved Interstate 73, which will run through South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and end in Michigan.
The S.C. section of the highway will take about three years to complete and will be funded primarily by tolls. Other means of payment also are being considered in other states.
The section of Interstate 73 that will be supported by South Carolina will run through Dillon, Marion, Horry and Georgetown counties.
"Any construction project brings with it money, by way of salaries to workers and by the purchasing of goods and other services," Owens said.
"With this total project expected to cost well over $1.7 billion, a great amount of money will be spent in the state to buy land, to move dirt, to bring food to workers… Construction is good for businesses," she said.
Though the nearest road of the project to FMU is in Marion County, Owens thinks the influx of people and money filtering into the Pee Dee region will positively affect Francis Marion students.
"If the new highway accomplishes all that the community, state and national leaders hope it will accomplish, there will be new jobs in the area for FMU graduates and a major thoroughfare north that doesn't exist now for folks wishing to travel," Owens said.
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